


Stand By Me

by Blizzardsoflizzards



Series: Hunt's End [4]
Category: Bloodborne (Video Game), Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/F, Multi, Polyamory, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-21 01:07:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17033432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blizzardsoflizzards/pseuds/Blizzardsoflizzards
Summary: Julie comes to terms with the realities of the coming seasons.





	Stand By Me

The moon hung high in the sky, massive and luminous. Julie huffed and panted as she sprinted through the mist that enveloped the streets. A great racket could be heard in the distance, a horrible cacophony of voices and shrieks. Julie ran towards the sound.

 

As she crossed through an empty square, she heard doors all around snapping shut, echoing into the night. The path continued, and she could almost see the source of the commotion. Just a little bit further. Just a little bit faster. She increased her pace as she reached a large flight of stairs, taking them two at a time.

 

If her knowledge of the city served, she was winding her way toward the Grand Cathedral, the central fixture of the Cathedral Ward and a place of great importance for the Healing Church. That the sound was coming from the Cathedral was especially disconcerting. What could be going on? She didn’t want to think about it, but mental image after mental image played out in her brain, each more awful than the last. 

 

As she reached the top of the stairs she very nearly fell on her face. Her street had opened into the side of the grand staircase leading to the Cathedral and she had anticipated one more step than was actually there. After almost tumbling to the ground, she regained her posture and looked up at the stairs. At last she could see what all the commotion was.

 

A throng of Yharnamites had congregated at the base of the steps. Men in various states of deformity gripped torches and rusted pitchforks, flocking together and muttering/growling all at once to form a disjointed wave of sound that hit the ear like nails on a  chalkboard. The crowd was slowly making their way up the steps, being led by several white-coated doctors of the Healing Church holding lanterns covered in living eyes. Higher up the stairs, illuminated by the light of several torchbearers, were two additional doctors holding a struggling red-haired woman. Julie’s heart dropped into her stomach.

 

She was moving before she had time to process what was going on, barreling up the stairs and bodily shoving mob members out of the way (usually over the side of the staircase). Those that stood against her were cut down with a flash of silver or a puff of gunpowder. Julie carved through their ranks, though nowhere near fast enough for her liking. She wouldn’t be able to take on the entire mob at once. She needed a way to thin their ranks. Her eyes lit on the torchbearers. She had an idea.

 

Julie dashed forward, ducking blows and slicing aggressively to clear a path to the edges of the crowd. There she set upon the torch-wielding mob members with particular prejudice, gutting them and hurling them to their doom. She stole a glance up the stairs. The hooded doctors were still dragging their hostage, now more than halfway up to the Cathedral. Julie couldn’t let them reach it.

 

She cut down yet another Yharnamite, watching his torch tumble away over the side of the stairwell. The pool of light on the stairs had been dramatically reduced, and before Julie could catch her breath a chorus of bone-chilling howls rose from all around. Her plan had worked, and they were about to have guests.

 

Dark, imposing shapes began to form up on the rooftops. All manner of claws scraped against the shingles, and Julie could see dozens of pale, reflective orbs staring at her from the darkness. The beasts of Yharnam howled again in haunting unity, sending up cries of fear from the remaining mob of townsfolk. They had lost their key weapon against the beasts: Flame. And now, they would pay the price.

 

There was a moment of terrible confusion as the crowd broke and tried to flee for their lives. Just a moment, before the beasts descended and the screaming began. Julie had no time to pity them. She was already back to bounding up the steps, her eyes locked on the doctors and their hostage. They weren’t far from the Cathedral now, but there was very little separating them from a vengeful Julie.

 

As she charged up the stairs, Julie heard a great grinding of stone. The Cathedral doors were opening. The doctors were having a hell of a time restraining the woman, who was digging in her heels and kicking at them violently at every opportunity. Several other doctors joined the scene, casting aside their weapons and moving to restrain the thrashing hostage. One moved to slip a bag over her head, but she reared back and headbutted his hood right off. She followed up with a well-placed kick to the man’s groin, sending him tumbling down the stairs. Julie felt a surge of pride she didn’t quite understand.

 

The Cathedral doors jerked outward as something slammed against them. The noise was deafening, and Julie had to clutch at her head with her blade still in hand to block it out. Julie looked to the top of the hill and saw a great clawed hand looming out of the darkness beyond the doorway. It thudded to the ground and dug in its claws, beginning to drag the rest of its massive body forward into the torchlight. The woman began to scream.

 

Julie brought her blade up, slamming it over her shoulder and into its oversized sheath. There was a clicking sound as the locking mechanism engaged, and Julie hefted the massive hunk of metal onto one shoulder. The runes on the scabbard flared to life, and the blade fused with the scabbard, becoming a massive double-edged greatsword. The magic of the blade made it lighter than something its size should have been, and Julie was able to continue running with the overlarge weapon resting on her shoulder. She was almost there. Just a little bit further…

 

The great beast moved again, using its massive hands to grip the doors of the Cathedral. The group of doctors were now at the base of the final flight of stairs, dragging their prisoner up the steps one by one. To her credit, the woman was having none of it, twisting and elbowing at her captors with ferocity. Still, there were too many of them, and as they drove her to the ground she cried out.

 

“Julie!”

 

Julie momentarily froze. Hearing Penny’s voice in this terrible place was so wrong, so horribly viscerally  _ wrong  _ that it threatened to steal Julie’s strength then and there. She took a breath to steel herself and hefted her blade again. They would not have her.

 

She set upon the first of the doctors with ferocity, cleaving through his shoulder and giving him a solid kick, sending him tumbling over the side of the stairs. The second was carved across the middle as Julie spun, causing him to collapse to his knees and likewise tumble down. The third was full-on impaled upon the massive blade, shortly thereafter lifted off of his feet and flung over Julie’s shoulder like a ragdoll.

 

Two of the doctors just up the stairs began muttering incantations, causing the dozens of staring eyes sprouting from their lanterns to flare with a ghostly blue light. The eyes blinked and expelled bolts of arcane power in Julie’s direction, sizzling and hissing as they wound their way through the air. Julie ducked one and deflected the other off of the flat of her greatsword, feeling the magic disperse an inordinate amount of force through her weapon. With a guttural cry she pushed forward, cutting them down before they could bring more spells to bear.

 

There she stood, drenched in blood and surrounded by the screams of dying men and the howls of beasts. She stared down the last two doctors with fire in her eyes, giving them just enough time to release their hostage and go for their weapons. That’s when she lunged.

 

She drove her blade through the doctor on the left so hard that it buried itself in the marble of the staircase. The man opened his mouth to scream, but all he managed was a weak choke before going limp. Julie pulled on the hilt of the sword hard enough to disconnect the longsword from the scabbard, bringing the lighter blade free with a ringing of metal that pierced through the sound of carnage from below. The edge of the longsword gleamed as it whistled through the air, separating the final doctor’s head from his shoulders. As the man’s lifeless form crumpled to the ground, Julie dropped her blade to catch Penny as she fell.

 

For just a moment, all of Julie’s focus was on the woman in her arms. She even momentarily forgot about the unspeakably large beast just up the stairs. She had gotten Penny back.

 

Julie stood staring into Penny’s eyes, a flood of conflicting emotions all fighting for dominance at once. She was incredibly relieved to have rescued Penny from her captors, but she also felt an overwhelming amount of fear and anxiety. Where in Yharnam was it safe to take her? Could they make it back to Oedon Chapel with the unfolding carnage blocking the path? Julie was starting to regret her method of dealing with the mob, but there was little for it now. 

 

There was a crack, then a roar as the beast behind the doors lunged forward. Its claws scraped the steps a scant few feet away and impaled the headless corpse resting on the stairs, dragging it up with a bloody smear as the beast brought itself forward. Julie yelped and shot backwards, skipping several steps and tumbling to the landing below with Penny on top of her.

 

As she came shakily to her feet, she got a good look at the monstrosity before her. The beast was easily two stories tall, with long, gangly limbs ending in ragged talons supporting a lupine body wrapped in the tatters of what was once a hooded white robe. Thick, branching antlers sprouted from the beast’s skull like tree limbs and saliva dripped from its massive maw to spatter the stairs below. It opened its mouth to  reveal rows of spiky canine teeth and a long, slender tongue before letting out a horrible screeching roar. There was no mistaking the creature now: A cleric beast.

 

Julie’s eyes went to her sword, lying on the ground at the cleric beasts feet. She could lunge for it and risk getting flattened, or she could take Penny and run for the stairs. She didn’t have long to decide. With a grunt of effort and an exclamation of frustration, Julie hoisted Penny into her arms and turned her back on both the beast and her weapon.

 

Holding Penny in her arms, Julie took the steps at almost a blind sprint, heading down the steep incline at a dangerous pace. She almost fell several times, but her Hunter reflexes kept her on her feet and moving. From behind her, Julie could hear a great crashing as the cleric beast gave chase, bounding after them clumsily as though it wasn’t used to its monstrous proportions. They were closing in on what was left of the battle below. The mob of Yharnamites had more or less fallen, replaced by a horde of freshly frenzied beasts. Julie saw a dozen wolf-like snouts come up from their feasts to look in her direction as they approached.

 

Goddess, there were too many of them. Julie broke off and darted down a side alley in the vain hope of shaking the cleric beast off of their tail. The subsequent sound of crashing and splintering wood from behind them told her it hadn’t worked. She ran and ran, feeling Penny’s hands clutching at her coat for dear life. She had to get away. She had to get them somewhere safe. Her breath was beginning to come in painful hitched gasps, and she knew she couldn’t run forever. She could still hear the flood of beasts hot on their heels, and she was rapidly running out of options.

 

_ “The beasts cannot be stopped.”  _ Came a quiet voice from the back of her mind.  _ “What good are Hunters now?” _

 

Julie stumbled into a dead-end. The alley terminated in a cluster of residences, each with the windows dark and the curtains drawn. Julie came to a halt in front of one of the doors and set Penny on her feet, reaching for her pistol.

 

With a deafening crack and a puff of smoke, the lock on the door was blasted away. Julie kicked the heavy wooden door inward, scooping Penny back up and storming into the house just as the horde rounded the corner.

 

Julie slammed the door and immediately set about dragging something heavy in front of it, settling on a nearby chest of drawers. Even as she backed away from the newly blockaded door, it began to clatter and as things rammed into the other side. Julie led a terrified Penny through the darkened house, stumbling over furniture and stacks of books as they made for the stairs Julie could faintly make out in the back. As they began to climb, Julie heard the door burst open, followed by a scream.

 

Everything went wrong at once. Something huge collided with the building at high speed, and the stairs began to collapse. Julie and Penny tumbled to the ground in a fashion most painful, sprawling across the floor and scrambling to find each other in the dark. A rush of scraping claws and snapping jaws descended upon the room, driving Julie to the ground and obscuring her vision.

 

“Julie!” Penny screamed.

 

That was when she had woken up, drenched in sweat and breathing heavily.

 

Julie sat there at the edge of her bed in silence, letting her heart rate return to normal and trying to talk herself down.

 

It had all been a dream. Penny was safe. They were at home, in their bedroom, behind two locked doors. Nothing could harm them here.

 

Julie reached out and gently placed a hand on Penny’s hip. Penny stirred ever so slightly and Julie was worried she had woken her, but her eyes remained closed. She rolled onto her back and brought the blanket closer around herself. Julie didn’t move for some time, watching the peaceful expression on her wife’s face as she slept. How Julie wished she could just lay back in bed and snuggle up to her beloved. However, she could feel that she would get no sleep for the time being. The screams and snarls were still too fresh in her mind.

 

Julie rose quietly and made her way to the dresser, throwing on a shirt and a pair of shorts before going to the door and easing it open. Taking another glance over her shoulder to make sure Penny was sleeping soundly, Julie made her way out into the hallway.

 

The house was dark, and Julie felt her way along the wall that led to the living room. She arrived at the kitchen and went to the window to flick on the lights. A blur of movement leapt from the counter to the floor, darting away under the table.

 

“Bast.” Julie called softly. “Here, kitty.”

 

She switched on the lights and shielded her eyes from the sudden flare. With one hand still covering her eyes, she went to the cabinet and retrieved a small plastic container full of cat treats. She removed the lid and shook a few into her hand before replacing the lid and putting the container back in the cabinet.

 

“Bast.” Julie called again, throwing a bit of sing-song into her voice. “Here you go, girl.”

 

She stooped down and shook her hand so the treats would rattle together. As she knelt there, Bast poked her little head out from under the table and let out an inquisitive ‘mew’.

 

“Hey there,  _ mały kotek _ .” Julie said. “I’ve got something for you.”

 

Bast’s attention was drawn to the treats. She let out a pleased meow and emerged from under the table, chomping them down right out of Julie’s hand. Julie smiled and used her free hand to stroke the little cat’s head. Bast began to purr.

 

She didn’t know how long she knelt there on the kitchen floor petting the cat, but after a while her knees began to protest. With an affectionate scratch to the underside of Bast’s chin, Julie stood and walked to the living room to get some feeling back into her legs, She found herself flopping onto the couch, leaning back and closing her eyes. She heard the patter of paws on tile as Bast trotted across the kitchen floor and leapt up onto the back of the couch, sidling up next to Julie and giving her a good sniff. Julie kept her eyes closed but made little kissing noises in Bast’s direction. She felt a tiny wet nose poke her in the cheek, then a rough, sandpapery tongue give her several licks.

 

Julie smiled. Bast was good about showing affection when Julie was feeling stressed out. She had a tendency to vanish for most of the day, but she made for a decent partner during Julie’s long nights. Julie scratched her behind the ears and sighed. She could still feel the nightmare prodding at the back of her mind, but at least she wasn’t going through it alone.

 

Eventually, Bast settled in Julie’s lap, purring like a motor and kneading at Julie’s exposed leg lightly with her claws. Julie winced several times but allowed the cat to stay, occasionally nudging her when she clawed too hard.

 

For a while, Julie alternated between staring at the wall and closing her eyes, allowing her mind to drift. She couldn’t close her eyes long without seeing the pale, dead eyes of the beasts in her mind’s eye, but she did her best to force those thoughts away. She had only gotten a couple hours of sleep, and she was tired. So tired.

 

She wished she was back in bed, curled up next to Penny and dreaming easily. She felt a rising lump of frustration that she still had dreams that kept her up. Would she ever be free of her visions of the dead city?

 

Julie frowned, and her hands stopped scratching Bast until the cat began meowing insistently to get her to continue. She resumed her scratching and stared at the clock on the wall, watching the minutes tick by. It was almost three in the morning.

 

Julie closed her eyes and felt tears welling up. She didn’t try to fight them, instead putting her head down and allowing the tears to flow down her face. Bast pressed her face affectionately against Julie’s hand and made little noises that Julie guessed were supposed to be comforting. Julie kissed the top of Bast’s head and scratched her behind the ears for a few moments before lowering her face into her hands.

 

She sobbed. She sobbed for a good long time. At first she attempted to cry silently, but she soon descended into wracking, bitter tears. It would never go away. The flames, the stench of blood, the howl of man and beast. It would haunt her until the end of her days. The things she had seen. The things she had  _ done _ . The things she would do again to protect the ones she loved. In her mind’s eye she could still see herself, wading through the bloodbath on the steps of the Grand Cathedral. The way she hacked away limbs and slashed throats not only with ease, but with  _ momentum _ . It made her sick to think about.

 

Her dream had merely been a dream, but it played like a memory. And Julie had many memories like it, all of them very real. Beasts at every turn, death no matter where one looked,and the blood- Oh Goddess, the sheer amount of blood.

 

She heard the sound of a door opening down the hall, followed by footsteps. A few seconds later, Penny emerged squinting into the light. She stood there in one of Julie’s t-shirts and little else, rubbing sleep from her eyes and holding a bundled-up blanket in her hands.

 

“Julie?” She asked. “Are you okay?”

 

Julie sniffled and tried in vain to dry her eyes.

 

“I…” She began.

 

She couldn’t formulate anything to continue with. Instead, she let out a few uncontrolled sobs. She looked Penny in the eye through her watery haze. Her eyes expressed what words could not. Penny was already coming around the side of the couch, sitting down next to her and covering their legs with the blanket. Bast leapt up onto the back of the couch and positioned herself behind Julie’s head, purring quietly.

 

“Hey, love.” Penny said softly, reaching up and wiping a tear from Julie’s cheek before pulling her close. “Just take your time. You don’t have to explain things to me if you don’t want to, but if you need to talk then I’m here to listen.”

 

She met Julie’s eye and smiled. It brought Julie’s spirits up, just a bit.

 

Julie leaned sideways and rested her head on Penny’s shoulder. Penny wrapped her arms around Julie and delicately rubbed her back, whispering reassurances that everything was going to be okay.

 

For a time, they just sat in the quiet, Julie letting everything out and Penny running her nails lightly up and down across Julie’s back. Julie eventually ran out of tears and leaned into Penny, holding her close and burying her face in the crook of her neck.

 

“There, there.” Penny whispered. “I’ve got you.”

 

Penny’s hands were firm but gentle, holding Julie tight and making her feel supported. Penny was well-practiced in helping Julie through her troubled spots, and she did it all without complaining. Julie couldn’t have asked for much more, but what had she ever done to deserve it?

 

After she was all cried out and she had at last stopped shaking, Julie looked up into her wife’s emerald eyes and opened her mouth to speak.

 

“I dreamt that I was back in Yharnam.” She said softly. “On the night of the Hunt.”

 

Penny said nothing, merely nodding and waiting patiently for Julie to continue.

 

“You were there, too. Held hostage by an angry mob. They were offering you up to one of the cleric beasts. I fought to get to you but even after I did, there was nowhere for us to run. I lost my sword. They tore you away from me. I had no way to protect you…”

 

She began crying again. Penny said nothing for a time, content to rub her back and offer a shoulder to cry on. Julie took that shoulder, staining it with tears as she dried her eyes on it. After a long silence broken only by Julie’s hitched breaths, Penny spoke up.

 

“I can’t pretend to understand what you went through in that horrible place.” She began. “But what I can do is promise you that you never, ever have to go back. You’re safe now, and you’re here with me. I’m not going to let anything change that.”

 

A weak smile graced Julie’s face. Penny gathered up the blanket and draped it over Julie’s  shoulders

 

“Now you just wait right here, I’ll be right back with something to help you feel better.”

 

She pressed a kiss to Julie’s forehead and stood up, leaving her on the couch to watch the cat burrowing into the blanket. After some clattering from the kitchen and the telltale hum of the microwave for a few minutes, there was a ‘ding’ and shortly thereafter Penny reemerged holding a large mug of steaming cocoa.

 

“Here you go.” She said, placing the mug in Julie’s hands. “Careful, it’s hot.”

 

Julie felt a surge of gratitude. Penny knew just how to cheer her up.

 

“Thank you, dear.” Julie said, holding the mug close to her mouth and blowing into it to cool it. “I’m sorry I’m such a mess right now.”

 

Penny waved the statement off and pressed a smooch to Julie’s cheek.

 

“Don’t you worry about that.” Penny said. “You’re in your own home, here with me. This is where you’re allowed to be a mess.”

 

Julie nodded and took a small sip of her hot cocoa. She felt warmth spreading through her and smiled ever so slightly.

 

“You’re right. Thank you for reminding me of that.” Another sip. Warm. Chocolatey. “Ahh. Delicious.”

 

Penny smiled and leaned into Julie, rearranging the blanket over their legs as she did so.

 

There was silence for a time. Julie drained her mug and wiped her mouth off before placing the mug on the coffee table and cuddling back into Penny. Penny’s fingers worked their way into Julie’s hair, gently detangling and smoothing. She hummed a tune under her breath, slow and soft. Julie closed her eyes and listened to Penny’s heartbeat mingle with the sound of her voice. She could listen to Penny sing all night.

 

Julie never failed to marvel at how safe she felt in Penny’s arms. The snarls of the beasts felt far away now, and Julie took comfort in the notion that she would never have to return to those misty streets again. She could remain here, in Pelican Town, for as long as she desired. She had a life here, albeit a quiet one. And who was to say that adventure wasn’t still out there? If she and Penny saved up a little money, they could go anywhere they liked. Julie still knew so little of this world. Who better to explore it with?

 

“Penny?” Julie spoke up after some time.

 

“Yes, dear?”

 

“What would you say to going on an adventure with me one of these days? Going off to see the sights, hike the trails, sleep under the stars? It occurs to me that I haven’t seen much of this world beyond Pelican Town. I’d love to see what else this realm has to offer, and I can’t think of anyone I’d rather see it with.”

 

She felt Penny nod.

 

“I’d love that.” Penny said. “I’m not sure where we’d go, but I’ll be happy as long as I’m with you.”

 

Julie reaffirmed her grip around Penny’s waist.

 

“You are so sweet.”

 

Julie lay snuggled up to Penny, doing her best to rest and relax. Despite the incredibly comfortable conditions, Julie felt a certain restlessness. She needed to do something with her hands.

 

Julie sat up and looked across the living room, struck by a sudden idea. Her eyes landed on her guitar, sitting on its stand. Perhaps some music would help set her mind at ease. Detangling herself from Penny, Julie stood and crossed the room to retrieve the instrument (a birthday gift from Maru). She sat back down on the edge of the couch and plucked at the strings several times each, adjusting the tuning pegs as necessary until the notes rang out crisp and clear. She marveled at how little tuning the instrument actually needed.

 

When she was satisfied, Julie strummed a few practice chords and cleared her throat. Penny wiggled in excitement.

 

“Ooh, you haven’t played in a while!”

 

Julie smiled.

 

“Any requests?”

 

Penny thought about it.

 

“Hm… Play me something from your world. Something close to your heart.”

 

Julie pondered it a moment before deciding on something she could more or less remember the lyrics to.

 

How did that chord progression go again?

 

After a few false starts, she began strumming out a simple rhythm, plucking notes in a gentle rising melody. Penny settled into the couch and gathered the blanket around herself.

 

When she had repeated the chords a few times and she had the general idea ingrained into her head, Julie cleared her  throat and began to sing.

 

_ “Bells around St. Petersburg when I saw you _

_ I hope I get what you deserve _

_ And this is where I find...” _

 

Penny closed her eyes and leaned back into the couch, taking in the sound of Julie’s voice.

 

_ “Smoke surrounds your perfect face, and I’m falling _

_ Pushing a broom out into space _

_ And this is where I find the way.” _

 

Julie’s eyes were drawn to the window, and the pale moon that sat high in the sky.

 

_ “The Stadium Arcadium, a mirror to the moon _

_ Well I’m forming and I’m warming _

_ State of the art until the clouds come crashing...” _

 

She scooted a few inches closer to Penny, who sighed dreamily.

 

_ “Stranger things have happened both before and after noon _

_ Well I’m forming and I’m warming _

_ Pushing myself, and no I don’t mind asking now...” _

 

Julie felt herself getting lost to the song, leaning into her guitar and strumming with renewed passion. Goddess, how she loved music.

 

_ “Alone inside my forest room, and it’s storming _

_ I never thought I’d be in bloom _

_ But this is where I start _

_ Derelict days and the stereo plays _

_ For the all-night crowd it cannot phase _

_ And I’m calling _

_ Tedious weeds that the media breeds _

_ But the animal gets what the animal needs _

_ And I’m sorry.” _

 

Her voice was a little shaky, and not all the notes were perfect, but Penny seemed to be enjoying the song. That was enough for Julie.

 

_ “The Stadium Arcadium, a mirror to the moon. _

_ Well I’m forming and I’m warming _

_ State of the art until the clouds come crashing _

_ Stranger things have happened both before and after noon _

_ Well I’m forming and I’m warming to you.” _

 

She trailed off as she strummed the final chord, letting it ring out through the living room. She felt a bit better now. The song had drained a surprising amount from her, as playing music often did. She fiddled with a few of the strings for a minute or two before setting the guitar aside.

 

“I really love your voice.” Penny said softly, wrapping an arm around Julie’s waist. “It’s so soothing, and I could fall asleep listening to you.”

 

Julie gave her wife an affectionate nuzzle and Penny tightened her hold just a bit. They sat there, still, for some time. After a few minutes, Penny began to yawn.

 

“Getting sleepy, love?” Julie asked. “You can’t have gotten enough rest.”

 

Penny yawned again and shook her head.

 

“I can stay up a little longer, if that’s what it takes to make you feel better. I don’t want you to have to deal with these things by yourself. We’re partners, and I’m more than happy to share your load when you  need support.”

 

Julie felt her eyes beginning to glisten.

 

“That means a lot to me.” She said. “I’m sorry it’s so difficult for me to sleep sometimes, I just…”

 

She trailed off and looked away. Penny placed a hand gently on her chin and turned her head so they could look each other in the eyes.

 

“It’s okay to not be okay.  You’re human, and you have every right to have bad nights. But they don’t have to be unbearable. If you’d rather be alone sometimes, all you need to do is let me know. But if you need help, I don’t want you to be afraid to reach out. We’ve come so far together, and I am so proud to call myself your wife.”

 

Penny squeezed her with both arms.

 

“I love you. You’re not alone.”

 

The phrase struck a chord with Julie, and despite her best efforts, she felt her mental defenses falling and tears welling in her eyes again. She was tired, she still felt a little clammy from her night sweats, and to top off the misery sundae, she was fairly certain her cycle was starting soon. She let out a slight groan into Penny’s shoulder. Penny just rubbed her back and held her close.

 

Julie’s breath came in hitches and try as she might she was beginning to sniffle. A long time ago she might have fled somewhere more private to cry or just held it in until she felt like she was ready to crack. Now, though? She began to weep openly, staining Penny’s shirt with tears. Penny didn’t mind. She just continued holding Julie, whispering comforting words.

 

“Shh… It’s alright, love. I’ve got you.”

 

Julie nodded, still too choked up to speak.

 

Penny began to hum a tune, the same tune Julie had been playing. She had a lovely habit of humming along when Julie sang in the kitchen, and on occasion he had even been known to join Julie in belting out lyrics on the occasions when they showered together. It gave Julie no end of joy to hear Penny picking up on the music she played, especially since her own playing was her only way to listen to many of her favorite songs. She was fairly certain she had taught Penny a few incorrect lyrics, but it wasn’t as though there was anyone to point them out. As far as anyone around here knew, Julie could have written them herself. (Not that she would try to take credit for them, mind, but still)

 

Julie glanced up at the clock. It was now just before four.

 

“Are you sure you don’t want to sleep, hon?” Julie asked. “I’m tired, but I don’t know that I’m sleepy. I might be a while longer.”

 

Penny just shrugged.

 

“If you’ll be up, I’ll be up to keep you company. Unless, of course, you’d rather be by yourself. That’s totally okay, too.”

 

Julie thought about it. She was tempted to tell Penny to head to bed and that she would be along shortly, but a part of her knew that she would probably be out here until dawn. She didn’t want to keep Penny up that long, but she also didn’t really want to go back to being alone. The cat made for good company, but wasn’t a proper substitute for human warmth and support.

 

After a long pause, Julie spoke up again.

 

“I think… So long as you’re not falling asleep on your feet, I’d love some company. I don’t even really know what to do, I just have a feeling that I won’t be able to sleep until the sun comes up.”

 

Penny ran a hand through Julie’s hair.

 

“That’s all you need to say.” Said Penny with a smile and another yawn. “I’m here for you.”

 

Julie’s heart warmed.

 

After a little while longer of sitting in the quiet, Julie decided that a distraction was what she needed. She leaned forward and picked up the remote, flipping the television and idly scrolling through the channels while Penny went and got the lights in the kitchen. Julie's nerves were a little too frayed to focus on what was happening, but the static hiss and white noise of the tv made her feel a little better. The show they ended up landing on was a rather hokey-looking psychic prediction service that answered call-in questions from viewers. This particular go around, the medium (a long-haired gaunt individual of indeterminate gender complete with a jeweled head wrap and a cartoonishly oversized crystal ball) sat at a table illuminated by clusters of wax candles, each slowly melting and dripping onto the tablecloth. The lights dimmed and returned as the medium waved their hands over the ball in a ‘mystical’ fashion. A steady background hum made it clear that a fog machine was running somewhere in the studio.

 

All in all, nothing Julie hadn’t expected from a late-night fortune telling show, but something about the medium themselves had snagged Julie’s attention and wouldn’t let go.

 

“Julie? Something up?”

 

Penny had noticed the confusion on Julie’s face. Julie started to answer then promptly shut her mouth again, instead leaning closer to the television and squinting. The editing of the production made it difficult to get a good look at the medium without fog or dramatic shadows getting in the way. However, Julie noticed that whenever they asked a question of the ‘ethereal plane’, their crystal ball would flare with white light. The next time they moved on to a new question, Julie focused intently on the medium’s face. The ball flashed, and Julie’s strange mental connection was complete. The medium hadn’t just looked a little familiar. There in the light, brief as it was, Julie saw that the individual bore an uncanny resemblance to Ozzy Osbourne.

 

Once she had seen it, there was no un-seeing it. She snatched up the remote and turned up the volume.

 

“Sorry, love. Just one second.” She said to Penny.

 

The medium began speaking and there was no denying it. The voice was a perfect match (complete with strong Birmingham accent), as were the many rings on their fingers, each carved from gold and black stone. They were even wearing thick black circular glasses that reflected the light of the ball like twin moons. Julie was momentarily buffeted by the implications of seeing a rock star from her dimension here in this world, let alone communing with the dead in a recording studio. She supposed it was fitting, but it still made her head spin. It all raised too many questions.

 

Could it possibly be a massive coincidence? Were there other versions of people she might know or recognize in this universe? Did Ozzy Osbourne have psychic powers?

 

She sat back down on the couch and sat there processing for a few seconds.

 

“Is everything okay?” Penny asked hesitantly.

 

“Erm…” 

 

‘Come on, Julie.’ she thought. ‘Get your head together’.

 

“It’s nothing bad, I just, uh… Recognize the fortune teller.”

 

“How so?”

 

Julie tried to find words to explain.

 

“They look… Startlingly like a musician from my home realm.”

 

Penny’s eyebrows went up.

 

“Are you sure?”

 

Julie stared at the screen.

 

“Fairly positive. They’ve got a rather distinctive voice.”

 

Penny puzzled.

 

“Well, a few years ago I’d have called that a strange coincidence.” She paused. “However, after being with you for so long, I’ve opened my mind to the fact that weirdness is just kind of out there. Sometimes you find it, and sometimes it finds you.”

 

She nudged Julie playfully.

 

“That’s how we met, after all.”

 

Julie chuckled.

 

“A Hunter from worlds away falling in love with a schoolteacher and settling down to start farming. Sounds a little unconventional to me, though certainly not in a bad way.”

 

Julie heaved a sigh.

 

“I suppose after all the inter-dimensional nonsense, I just have to expect that parts of my life are going to be strange.”

 

Penny rested a hand on hers.

 

“That’s okay. It’s all an opportunity to learn, right?”

 

Julie nodded.

 

“Right.”

 

They sat bundled up a while longer, watching Ozzy hand out paranormal readings and advice, now not entirely convinced that it was all an act. The minutes ticked away with little conversation, but Julie was comfortable where she was. Bast leapt up onto the back of the couch and positioned herself in between Julie and Penny, purring contentedly at having found a warm perch.

 

Sometime after five, Penny dozed off. Julie listed to the sound of her breathing coming deeper and slower until she was snoozing peacefully, her eyes closed and her hand still in Julie’s. Julie let her sleep for a while, turning off the tv and just sitting in the silence with her wife and her cat. It was a good life she led.

 

Slowly, the room began to lighten. It was still too early to see the sun, but a weak light shone through the windows, bathing her living room in dusky obscurity. Her neck was beginning to stiffen, but she didn’t want to move. So she just sat there, breathing in and out, reflecting.

 

The light of morning began to grow in strength, and Julie could now make out the outlines of most of her furniture. The clock said it was almost half past. Dawn would break soon.

 

Julie was struck by a sudden urge to get up and go for a walk. She wanted to stretch her legs and breathe some fresh air, maybe burn off some of her excess energy so she could finally sleep.

 

Penny already had an arm around Julie’s shoulders, so Julie didn’t have to move her much. Julie got herself into a position with more leverage, displacing an unhappy Bast as she did so, and worked her arms under Penny’s back and legs. She lifted Penny up gently and carried her back their bedroom, using her hip to push the door open. She trod across the room and went around to Penny’s side of the bed, laying her down softly and then returning to the living room to retrieve their blanket. After laying it across Penny’s sleeping form, Julie retrieved a pair of socks from off of the floor and made her way out into the hall, closing the door behind her.

 

Julie found her pair of walking shoes and she put them onto her feet, looking up and out the window as she did the laces up. The sky was beginning to lighten, the pall of night slowly falling away to reveal the first hues of blue in the sky. The birds had already begun singing, and they bid Julie onward into the outdoors. Shoes taken care of, Julie went and laid out food for Bast before crossing to her front door and picking up her gold pouch on the off chance that she was out walking long enough for the General Store to open. She needed to buy seeds for the Fall anyway.

 

With one last glance around the room to make sure all was as it should be, Julie opened the front door and stepped out into the cool morning air.

 

The air felt cool and refreshing on Julie’s skin after spending the night bundled with someone else under a blanket. She descended the steps of her porch and set out on the southern path that led to the forest. As she passed through the tall grass, the morning dew clung to her shoes and skin. The birds soared overhead or huddled on the fence, chirping merrily and occasionally swooping down to snatch at insects. She could hear the babble of the river as she walked, listening to the water rushing over rock and earth. She could see fish leaping from the water with gusto, their scales glinting faintly in the early morning light. All around, she could see little purple flowers poking up from the green of the grass, as well as wild spice berries and vines with grapes growing on them. It was shaping up to be another lovely Summer.

 

Julie passed Marnie’s ranch, then Leah’s cottage, walking aimlessly in the general direction of the lake. Perhaps she would walk around the  edge.

 

Julie walked until the lake began to narrow, giving way to the river. When she found a plank bridge leading across the water, she took it in the name of adventure. Perhaps if she could find an interesting spot, she could come back and bring Penny and Maru with her. That sounded nice. 

 

Her thoughts turned to Maru. Julie hadn’t seen her in a while, as she’d been working overtime on her college preparations. She’d been offered an internship at Zuzu City University, and would be moving out at the end of the Summer to live with an aunt in the city. It was a major opportunity for Maru to further her education and get her foot in the door of her chosen field, and Julie couldn’t have been happier for her. There was just one catch: in order to make it to her internship every day, she would have stay with a relative in the city. Purportedly it was a Fall sort of affair, and she would be home for the Winter. However, if she excelled at the internship (and Julie knew she would), there was a potential job offer waiting in the wings. It could be Maru’s ticket to moving up in the world and getting a chance to make a difference for herself.

 

So why did Julie feel so torn about it?

 

The answer was obvious. As much as she wanted to see Maru succeed and thrive, a small, secret part of her didn’t want things to change. She didn’t want one of her partners to move far away where she could only reach her by phone. Perhaps it was selfish to feel the way she did, but she did all the same.

 

She walked on, barely paying attention to where she was going. A rough trail led onward from the river to the cliffsides overlooking the sea. The scenery was lovely, though Julie barely processed any of it. She had become lost in thought.

 

Was she a bad partner for not wanting Maru to go? She supposed it wasn’t for her to say, but she felt no small amount of guilt. She knew she needed to talk to Maru about it, but how could she? She didn’t want to make it sound as though she wasn’t supportive. It was going to be a trying time for Maru, and Julie had to strike the right balance of support and comfort while also giving her space to breathe.

 

Julie let out a frustrated sigh.

 

It was a lot to think about, and she would have to come to terms with Maru going away at some point. They’d talk about it. Things would be okay.

 

She stopped walking. She had come to something she didn’t expect this far out in the woods: A house.

 

The place looked abandoned. The paint was a pale and sickly shade of yellow that had peeled or come off entirely in large swaths. The Dutch-style door had a great deal of scratch marks along the bottom and middle partition. She could see various holes in the structure, and it leaned heavily against its attached garage like a drunk on a handrail. The garage door was missing entirely, opening into an empty shaded space slowly being worn down by the elements.

 

Under ordinary circumstances, going up to a mysterious derelict house one has found in the middle of the woods is what is regarded as a ‘bad move’, but Julie’s curiosity got the better of her. She edged forward, eyeing the old house warily. It didn’t look outwardly dangerous, but then, neither did the Community Center in the middle of town, and Julie knew that one for a fact to be populated by vengeful nature spirits that had once driven a man insane/to cannibalism. Julie wasn’t in a huge hurry for a repeat incident, especially alone and unarmed at the southern edge of the woods.

 

Could this be another Junimo house? Julie didn’t see any indication that the little bulbous apparitions were about. In the few visits she had made to the Community Center, they had always popped up in the corners, watching her go about with eyes that didn’t blink. Sometimes one of them would become daring and follow her down the hallways, hopping up and down and waiting to be noticed.

 

She saw nothing of the sort now. The old house just stood there, bleaching in the sun. Julie felt a slight chill go up her back. What had happened here? 

 

Julie approached the house cautiously, her eyes narrowed and watchful for anything out of place. As she approached, something caught her eye. Was that movement in the upper window? Julie directed her attention at where she’d seen the blur of motion, but there was nothing there that she could see. The window itself was heavily cracked, and it was a small wonder it hadn’t been outright broken in yet. Dusty, moth-eaten curtains hung on the other side of the window, only affording a crack to peek out of. The curtains hadn’t moved, but for just a moment, she could have sworn...

 

Julie didn’t like the idea that a hidden something could be observing her. In her experience, such things were rarely benevolent, and she had little besides her wits and her fists to protect her if something went down here. Perhaps she should just leave, before she got herself into any trouble.

 

Still, something about the old house compelled her to keep stepping forward. Her curiosity would be the death of her. A breeze rolled by and the house let out a long, creaking groan like an adolescent being prodded out of bed in the early hours. With every step she took, she became more and more aware that eyes were on her.

 

Another scuttle of movement, this time from the direction of the garage. Julie whipped around at the sound, but again found nothing there. Her nerves were beginning to get to her. She chastised herself for being so jumpy, but nevertheless felt somewhat uncomfortable turning her back on the house.

 

She stood there stock-still for some time, observing the building and watching for anything suspicious. It wasn’t as though she was expecting the house to creep up and pick her pocket, but old paranoia died hard.

 

The sun was coming up in earnest now, golden sunlight shining through the fluffy clouds that rolled across the sky. The sky had gone from its pale early morning hues to the warm patchwork of reds, oranges, and purples as the sun peeked out from over the mountains. It was a beautiful morning, and one Julie would be able to appreciate better if she weren’t in the middle of the woods on zero hours of sleep. Despite her slight trepidation at her surroundings, Julie yawned.

 

Just as she was ready to give up on the matter and see about finding her way home, she heard a sound. Not a creak or groan, but instead a pronounced ‘squeak’. Julie whipped her head toward the source of the sound and found herself staring at a little mouse.

 

Well, a rather  _ large  _ mouse, as mice went. At least, Julie hoped that all the rodents in this universe weren’t a similar size. It stood a little under a foot tall once it came up to its full height. The creature sat back on its hind legs, twitching its nose and watching Julie with beady black eyes. Julie expected it to hide or scurry away somewhere, but instead it just sat there, looking at her.

 

Julie took a step toward the creature and it skittered back a few feet, towards the yawning mouth of the garage.

 

“Hey, little fellow.” Julie said. “It’s alright, don’t be afraid.”

 

The mouse looked hesitant. Julie knelt in the grass and extended her hand. She wished she had brought along cheese or something, but alas, her pockets were only full of useless currency. Julie made a few beckoning sounds as though she were calling her cat. (Perhaps in poor taste, but it was how Julie addressed most animals.)

 

Little by little, the mouse began to edge forward, first to the edge of the overgrown bushes that sat in front of the house, then to the little dirt path that led up to the door, finally to the edge of the grass where Julie knelt, her knees now thoroughly wet from the dew that still clung to the grass.

 

“That’s right.” Julie said. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to hurt you.”

 

The mouse was very close now, and Julie noticed something she hadn’t before.

 

The mouse seemed to stand back on its hind legs whenever it wasn’t moving, standing more or less upright and scratching at its nose with its tiny claws. What was more, now that it was so close and standing up, Julie noticed that it was wearing a little green hat between its ears. It resembled a tiny archer’s cap, complete with a miniscule blue feather sticking out of it.

 

The mouse sat there, looking up at Julie with curious eyes. Slowly, so as not to startle it, Julie raised her outstretched hand and gave the mouse a little scritch between the ears. It reared back at first, and Julie stopped moving before she got a nasty bite for her trouble. However, after a few seconds’ indecision, the mouse allowed Julie to scratch it. It seemed pleased.

 

“Where did you come from, little one?” Julie asked.

 

The mouse only answered with a squeak.

 

Hm.

 

Julie looked from it to the dilapidated structure.

 

“Do you live here?” She asked.

 

“Squeak.”

 

“I see.”

 

She wasn’t sure what kind of answer she’d been expecting.

 

Julie noticed the mouse’s beady eyes going to the pouch at her waist. She gave it a pat.

 

“Sorry, friend. I don’t think I have anything for you at the moment. All I’ve got in here is money.”

 

She opened the bag a bit to show the mouse what was inside. She had expected the creature’s interest to wane as soon as it determined she wasn’t carrying food, but instead the mouse did a little hop and scurried over to her, poking at the leather pouch with one of its claws.

 

“You… Want gold?” Julie asked, a bit confused.

 

“Squeak!”

 

The poking got more insistent. Somewhat perturbed, Julie reached into her pouch and retrieved a solitary golden coin, holding it out to the mouse like a tiny Olympic medal. With another excited noise, the mouse snatched up the coin and began legging it back towards its house. It disappeared into the  garage and Julie was left in the wet grass, more confused than ever.

 

She came to her feet, swatting an ant off of her leg. That was that, she supposed. A strange encounter, but she’d had stranger. Julie turned to determine the best way to get back home. That’s when she heard the noises behind her.

 

Julie turned around to see two new additions to the house: A little sign with an image of a top hat on it and a white banner with clumsily painted red letters that simply read: Hats. The top half of the front door had been swung open, and there on the little shelf that protruded from the top of the lower half was the mouse.

 

Julie raised an eyebrow and approached the house again. The mouse watched her expectantly, patiently. Every so often it would fuss with its whiskers while it waited. When Julie arrived at the door/counter, she addressed the mouse again.

 

“Um… Hello.”

 

“Squeak!”

 

“I still don’t quite follow what you want.”

 

The mouse scurried away and came back with a folded piece of parchment in its mouth. On the parchment were little ink scratches that spelled out misshapen words.

 

‘Me sell hats’.

 

Julie looked from the signs on the front of the house to the dingy space she could see behind the mouse’s fuzzy form. The interior of the building looked as unused at the exterior, but even in the dim light, Julie could see several flat surfaces that had been cleared off and covered in hats.

 

Julie saw hats of all different shapes, sizes, and conditions. Some looked as old and worn-out as the house itself, while others appeared to be clean and freshly starched. Where had this mouse amassed such a hoard?

 

The mouse looked up at Julie expectantly, waiting for her to make a decision. When she said nothing, the mouse plopped the gold coin she had given it down on the counter and pointed to it, then to its menagerie of headwear.

 

“You, uh… Want me to buy a hat?” Julie asked.

 

“Squeak!”

 

The mouse ducked behind several of its more easily-accessible hats and came back dragging a little index card with the number 1,000 scratched across it. The mouse pointed at the card, then back at the hats, then back at the card. It appeared she had a price tag.

 

Julie checked her gold pouch.  Ever since she and Penny had begun farming together, they had been pulling in a tidy little profit just about every season. She had long-since payed off her debt to Robin, and for once she didn’t even have outstanding medical bills to worry about. Perhaps she could afford to indulge the mouse a bit.

 

Julie stepped up to the counter proper and looked at the assortment of hats available. She saw bowlers, baseball caps, cowboy hats of various colors, and a host of others. After a minute or two of looking around, her eyes landed on something.

 

It was a headband, lined with little red and white flowers.

 

“That one.” Julie said, pointing as best she could. “The little black headband with the flowers on it.”

 

The mouse squeaked and rushed off to grab it, picking the band up in its mouth and climbing back onto its counter. The mouse deposited the band in front of Julie and she picked it up. It was well-made and surprisingly clean, the flowers bright and vibrant. Julie touched the petals delicately and discovered that they felt exactly like real flowers. She had expected imitation material of some kind. Julie turned the headband in her hands, examining it. It was cute, it was simple, and it wasn’t gaudy. Plus, it felt sturdy enough to actually hold the hair out of one’s face.

 

A thought clicked in Julie’s head and she reached for her gold. The mouse squeaked excitedly and hopped up and down as Julie counted out her coins. When she had the right amount, Julie stacked the coins together and slid them across the counter to the mouse, who made an appreciative noise and eagerly counted the coins by clicking one if its tiny claws against each coin individually. When the mouse was satisfied with its payment, it squeaked again and pushed the headband across the counter toward Julie, who took it with a smile.

 

“Thank you.” She said, admiring the item. “Do you happen to have any others like this? With flowers on them?”

 

The mouse hopped up and disappeared into its stacks of hats. After a minute or two of quiet, the entrepreneurial rodent reemerged holding a hair clip. The clip was comprised of a decent-sized purple flower affixed by no obvious means to a small metal clip. Julie felt the flower; Just as real as the others.

 

With a smile, Julie counted out a stack of coins the same size as the previous one and set them in front of the mouse, whose tiny eyes were wide with glee at making a second sale. Julie checked her gold reserves. Plenty to spare. Perhaps one more wouldn’t hurt…

 

“Say, I’m looking for one more.”

 

The mouse perked up, listening intently.

 

“Nothing too flashy, I just need something comfortable that’ll keep the sun out of my eyes.”

 

With a diligent squeak, the mouse was off again, this time leaping up next to various hats and squeaking again to ask Julie’s approval. It’s first pick was a wide-brimmed straw hat, to which Julie shook her head.  It was probably the most utilitarian of the hats here, but she had so far managed to avoid turning visibly into a country bumpkin and damned if she was going to start now. The mouse moved on. Next was a full- on sombrero several times larger than the mouse was. (How the little thing had acquired it, Julie couldn’t even speculate) Another shake. Finally the mouse moved on to a slightly worn and floppy flat cap.

 

“Hm… Bring that one over here.”

 

With the sound of scurrying and scratching, the mouse was back. Julie took the cap from it and felt it. Soft, worn-in, slightly ragged, but the bill was sturdy and the shade of grey was surprisingly bright and clean. Julie experimentally placed it on her head. It fit perfectly. Julie smiled. Since she was here, there was no sense in not getting herself a present.

 

Julie gave the mouse its last stack of coins and pulled the cap lower over her forehead, satisfied with her purchase. (She was still wrapping her head around the fact that she’d just procured clothing from a mouse, but that was a matter for later.) The mouse gave her an amicable squeak before scurrying up to the stacks of coins and taking them one-by-one to place them into a little lockbox with a hole in the top. What was it even planning to do with the money? Julie wanted to ask, but she supposed that that was the mouse’s business. Instead, she took up the headband and clip and held them in one hand, extending the other towards the mouse in a friendly gesture. The mouse stepped up and took her index finger in both of its front leg-paws, giving it a couple of enthusiastic shakes. Julie smiled.

 

With her treasures secured, Julie looked back to the mouse.

 

“I suppose I’ll be going now, little friend.” She said. “Thank you for your help.”

 

“Squeak!”

 

Julie stopped and thought a moment before leaning down a bit and asking the mouse:

 

“Do you have a name?”

 

The mouse hopped once, as though to signify a ‘yes’.

 

“May I ask it?”

 

Two hops. The mouse then scrambled down the woodwork and landed at Julie’s feet. It reached down with a claw and began carving letters into the dirt. When it was finished, it stepped aside and proudly hopped up and down, inviting Julie to look. There in the dirt, it was written plain as day:

 

‘Hat Mouse’.

 

Fair enough.

 

“Well, Hat Mouse, it has been a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I’m afraid I should be going now.”

 

The mouse looked slightly disappointed.

 

“Hey, don’t look so down! I have to go home and sleep at some point.”

 

“Squeak?”

 

It was hard to discern the question mark at the end of the noise, but the inflection made it sound vaguely like a question. The mouse appeared to be asking her if she would come back.

 

Julie was just a little too emotionally exhausted to say ‘no’ to an adorable woodland creature. She supposed it wouldn’t hurt to return here once in a while. Julie looked around and admired the scenery. The house had been built in a picturesque location, with the green forests to one side and the cliffs overlooking the glittering sea on the other. Patches of soft, wild grass were spread all around, and Julie could see wildflowers in bloom everywhere she looked. It looked like a lovely spot for a picnic.

 

“Say, I have an idea.”

 

“Squeak?”

 

“How about this: I go home today, get some rest, and next week I’ll come back to see you. I’ll even bring some cheese!”

 

The mouse looked excited by the prospect and pointed back at its house/shop. Julie laughed.

 

“Maybe. I can’t go spending all my money on hats.”

 

The noise the mouse made then could only be described as the animal equivalent of the phrase ‘you could try’.

 

“When I return, would it be alright if I brought someone with me? Possibly two someones?”

 

The mouse visibly pondered a minute before looking back to Julie.

 

“Squeak.”

 

“Erm… Is that a ‘yes’, or a ‘no’?”

 

The mouse cocked its head sideways.

 

“Okay, um… One hop for ‘yes’, two hops for ‘no’.”

 

The mouse hopped once and then looked back up at Julie expectantly.

 

“Great!” Julie said. “I appreciate the trust you have put in me. I promise I will only bring good folk.”

 

“Squeak!”

 

“You are quite welcome.”

 

Julie looked up at the sky. The sun was now out in earnest and the air was beginning to warm up. She let out another loud yawn, stretching her arms over her head and leaning back. The Hat Mouse imitated the noise and opened its own mouth wide, revealing its little mouse incisors. Julie patted it on the head.

 

“Alright, then. I think it’s time I head home. You take care of yourself, Hat Mouse. I’ll be back next week!”

 

“Squeak squeak!”

 

“To you as well!”

 

With that, Julie went to turn away. She had a thought, and turned back.

 

“Say, uh… You wouldn’t happen to know the quickest way back to town, would you?”

 

The mouse looked to the east and pointed.

 

“Squeak!”

 

“Many thanks.”

 

She bid goodbye to the Hat Mouse and began her long trek back home. In the early morning dimness, Julie had felt wide awake and ready to walk as far as she needed to. Now that the sun was shining and the forest was coming alive, she just wanted to go home and crawl into bed.

 

She followed a poorly-maintained dirt path back through another stretch of forest, occasionally ducking under low-hanging tree branches and stopping to admire the wildlife. She made brief eye contact with a pair of deer that froze and then ran upon catching sight of her.

 

She crossed yet another plank bridge (were all of the waterways in town crossed by way of hastily thrown together wooden slats?) and soon found herself at the southern edge of the large meadow that Marnie and Leah called home. She could see Leah’s little cottage in the distance and Marnie’s larger ranch further back.

 

She walked on, holding the headband and clip carefully so as to not damage the flowers. It was still too early for Leah to be awake, but when Julie passed Marnie’s ranch, she got a wave and hearty ‘hello’ from Marnie herself, who was busy moving large quantities of hay from a silo into her barn. Thankfully, her task meant she was unable to engage Julie in conversation. Marnie was nice, but Julie had used up all of her social energy for the time being talking to a mouse, and she wasn’t entirely sure how to explain that.

 

Julie continued, back along the trail that by now had become quite familiar. Soon she could hear the babble of the river over the sounds of the woods, and she emerged onto her land just in time to hear a rooster crow from far away.

 

Julie left her wet and slightly muddy shoes by the door, not wanting to track too much dirt into the house. Only once she removed her footwear did she feel how sore her feet actually were. She sat down on the couch and set the headband and clip on the coffee table. She would give Penny the clip whenever she woke up, and she would deliver the headband the next time she went to see Maru.

 

Maru. Julie felt her heart sink just a little bit, but she willed herself not to spiral. She would go and see Maru the next day, and she would voice her fears then. Surely, Maru would understand that she wasn’t trying to make her feel guilty for leaving. Julie just wanted a chance to talk face-to-face before their interactions became limited to phone calls. She wanted a chance to hold onto her and tell her she loved her and cherish the time they had left together before she went away for an indeterminate amount of time. She would go and spill her guts, no matter how much shame she felt at wanting Maru to stay, and goddamnit when it came time for Maru to go, Julie would let her go. Holding on too tight was a sure way to lose her, and she refused to hold Maru back from her dreams of being an engineer.

 

A single tear wound its way down her cheek. She knew what she had to do, how she needed to proceed. She just needed the strength to be there when Maru needed her. That was what was important. Julie closed her eyes and felt them beginning to sting. However, no tears came. She was too tired, and she’d done too much crying today already. Instead she just sat there in silence, shaking.

 

After there was nothing left to let out, Julie slowly keeled over sideways and laid on the couch horizontally. The cushions were soft, and she was half-tempted to just fall asleep then and there. But no, she was just a few feet from her bedroom. She could make the trip.

 

When Julie pushed open the bedroom door, it creaked just a bit. Julie poke her head into the room to find Penny still fast asleep, now more in the center of the bed than when she’d begun. The blanket Julie had left over her was wrapped around one of her legs and being held to her torso like a body pillow. Her red hair stuck out in every direction and she snored lightly as she rested. It brought a smile to Julie’s face. Her wife was gorgeous.

 

Julie shimmied out of her clothes and carefully climbed into bed beside Penny, who murmured in her sleep and rolled over, draping an arm around Julie’s waist and effectively pinning her in place. She nuzzled into the contact, happy to finally be home in bed.

 

There were a great many things that would need to be talked about in the coming days, but Julie wasn’t afraid. Nervous, certainly. Concerned, perhaps. But not afraid. Maru would do wonderfully wherever she ended up and Penny would be here to help support Julie emotionally through the transition. It was probably going to suck, for a time, but she had a gut feeling that ultimately things would be okay.

 

As she laid there in her dusky bedroom with her wife beside her, Julie closed her eyes. There was no earthly way of telling where their paths would take them, but a part of Julie knew that no matter what happened, she would be okay. She would hold the love she had for her partners in her heart until it welled up and burst, and nothing was coming in the way of that.

 

Julie said a silent prayer just before she drifted into the expanse of unconsciousness, thanking her Goddess for the enriching (if slightly complicated) life she led and the people she had near her. She couldn’t have asked for much more.

 

_ “Stranger things have happened both before and after noon. _

_ I’m forming and I’m warming to you.” _

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks for your interest in this weird little series! Just a friendly disclaimer, the lyrics used above are from "Stadium Arcadium" by The Red Hot Chili Peppers and are in no way mine, ect. 
> 
> Happy holidays, y'all!


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